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Pharmacology: Drug Classes and Their Purpose

General drug categories and what each class is used for. Education only, not medical advice.

89 cardsCollege, Adult#pharmacology#nursing#drug-classes

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  • AnalgesicDrug class
    Relieves pain
  • Opioid analgesicDrug class
    Strong pain reliever acting on opioid receptors; carries risk of dependence
  • NSAIDDrug class
    Reduces pain, fever and inflammation
  • AntipyreticDrug class
    Lowers fever
  • AntibioticDrug class
    Kills or stops bacteria
  • AntiviralDrug class
    Treats viral infections
  • AntifungalDrug class
    Treats fungal infections
  • AntiparasiticDrug class
    Treats parasite infections
  • PenicillinsDrug class
    Antibiotic class that blocks bacterial cell walls
  • CephalosporinsDrug class
    Antibiotic class related to penicillins
  • MacrolidesDrug class
    Antibiotics that block bacterial protein making
  • FluoroquinolonesDrug class
    Antibiotics that block bacterial DNA copying
  • TetracyclinesDrug class
    Broad-spectrum antibiotics
  • AntihistamineDrug class
    Blocks histamine to ease allergy symptoms
  • DecongestantDrug class
    Reduces swelling in nasal passages
  • ExpectorantDrug class
    Helps loosen mucus
  • AntitussiveDrug class
    Suppresses cough
  • BronchodilatorDrug class
    Opens airways
  • CorticosteroidDrug class
    Reduces inflammation and immune activity
  • AntihypertensiveDrug class
    Lowers high blood pressure
  • ACE inhibitorDrug class
    Relaxes blood vessels by blocking an enzyme; lowers blood pressure
  • ARBDrug class
    Angiotensin receptor blocker; relaxes blood vessels
  • Beta blockerDrug class
    Slows the heart and lowers blood pressure
  • Calcium channel blockerDrug class
    Relaxes blood vessels and the heart
  • DiureticDrug class
    Increases urine output to remove fluid
  • VasodilatorDrug class
    Widens blood vessels
  • AntiarrhythmicDrug class
    Controls abnormal heart rhythms
  • AnticoagulantDrug class
    Slows blood clotting
  • AntiplateletDrug class
    Stops platelets from clumping
  • ThrombolyticDrug class
    Dissolves existing clots
  • StatinDrug class
    Lowers cholesterol by blocking its production in the liver
  • NitrateDrug class
    Widens vessels to relieve chest pain
  • Cardiac glycosideDrug class
    Strengthens the heartbeat
  • AntidiabeticDrug class
    Lowers blood sugar
  • InsulinDrug class
    Hormone replacement to lower blood glucose
  • Thyroid replacementDrug class
    Supplies thyroid hormone when the thyroid is underactive
  • AntacidDrug class
    Neutralizes stomach acid
  • Proton pump inhibitorDrug class
    Strongly reduces stomach acid production
  • H2 blockerDrug class
    Reduces stomach acid by blocking histamine receptors
  • AntiemeticDrug class
    Prevents nausea and vomiting
  • LaxativeDrug class
    Promotes bowel movements
  • AntidiarrhealDrug class
    Slows diarrhea
  • AnticonvulsantDrug class
    Prevents seizures
  • AntidepressantDrug class
    Treats depression
  • SSRIDrug class
    Antidepressant that raises serotonin availability
  • AnxiolyticDrug class
    Reduces anxiety
  • BenzodiazepineDrug class
    Sedating class used for anxiety and seizures; can cause dependence
  • AntipsychoticDrug class
    Treats psychosis and certain mood disorders
  • Mood stabilizerDrug class
    Evens out highs and lows in mood
  • StimulantDrug class
    Increases alertness and attention
  • Sedative-hypnoticDrug class
    Promotes sleep or calm
  • Muscle relaxantDrug class
    Eases muscle spasm
  • Local anestheticDrug class
    Numbs a small area
  • General anestheticDrug class
    Produces unconsciousness for surgery
  • Antiparkinson agentDrug class
    Replaces or mimics dopamine to ease movement symptoms
  • Cholinesterase inhibitorDrug class
    Used to slow memory symptoms in dementia
  • ImmunosuppressantDrug class
    Reduces immune activity, as after transplant
  • AntineoplasticDrug class
    Treats cancer
  • VaccineDrug class
    Trains the immune system to recognize a germ
  • Hormonal contraceptiveDrug class
    Prevents pregnancy using hormones
  • BisphosphonateDrug class
    Slows bone loss
  • Antigout agentDrug class
    Lowers uric acid or relieves gout
  • AntimalarialDrug class
    Prevents or treats malaria
  • AntitubercularDrug class
    Treats tuberculosis
  • PharmacokineticsDrug class
    What the body does to a drug: absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
  • PharmacodynamicsDrug class
    What a drug does to the body
  • Half-lifeDrug class
    Time for the drug concentration in the body to fall by half
  • BioavailabilityDrug class
    Fraction of a dose that reaches the bloodstream
  • First-pass effectDrug class
    Liver metabolism of an oral drug before it reaches circulation
  • Therapeutic indexDrug class
    Gap between a helpful dose and a harmful one
  • AgonistDrug class
    A drug that activates a receptor
  • AntagonistDrug class
    A drug that blocks a receptor
  • Side effectDrug class
    An unintended effect of a drug
  • Adverse reactionDrug class
    A harmful, unintended response to a drug
  • Drug interactionDrug class
    One drug changes the effect of another
  • ContraindicationDrug class
    A condition making a drug unsafe to use
  • Generic nameDrug class
    The drug's official non-brand name
  • Brand nameDrug class
    A manufacturer's trade name
  • Prescription drugDrug class
    Needs a licensed prescriber's order
  • Over-the-counter drugDrug class
    Sold without a prescription
  • ToleranceDrug class
    Needing more drug to get the same effect
  • DependenceDrug class
    Body adapts so stopping causes withdrawal
  • Route: oralDrug class
    By mouth
  • Route: topicalDrug class
    Applied to the skin
  • Route: intravenousDrug class
    Into a vein
  • Route: inhaledDrug class
    Breathed into the lungs
  • Route: sublingualDrug class
    Under the tongue
  • Route: transdermalDrug class
    Through a skin patch
  • Controlled substance scheduleDrug class
    Legal classification of drugs by abuse potential

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